The Dark Star

She remained silent so long that he became a trifle uneasy.

"With your mother," he repeated, moving so he could see a little more

of her face.

"I don't think mother would go," she said.

"Would she let you go?"

"I don't think so."

"There's nothing wrong with racing," he said, "if you don't bet money

on the horses."

But Rue knew nothing about sport, and her ignorance as well as the

suggested combination of Saratoga, automobile, and horse racing left

her silent again.

Brandes sat down on the parapet of the bridge and held his straw hat

on his fat knees.

"Then we'll make it a family party," he said, "your father and mother

and you, shall we? And we'll just go off for the day."

"Thank you."

"Would you like it?"

"Yes."

"Will you go?"

"I--work in the mill."

"Every day?"

"Yes."

"How about Sunday?"

"We go to church.... I don't know.... Perhaps we might go in the

afternoon."

"I'll ask your father," he said, watching the delicately flushed face

with odd, almost sluggish persistency.

His grey-green eyes seemed hypnotised; he appeared unable to turn them

elsewhere; and she, gradually becoming conscious of his scrutiny,

kept her own eyes averted.

"What were you looking at in the water?" he asked.

"I was looking for our boat. It isn't there. I'm afraid it has gone

over the dam."

"I'll help you search for it," he said, "when I come back from the

village. I'm going to walk over and find somebody who'll cart that

runabout to the railroad station.... You're not going that way, are

you?" he added, rising.

"No."

"Then----" he lifted his hat high and put it on with care--"until a

little later, Miss Carew.... And I want to apologise for speaking so

familiarly to you yesterday. I'm sorry. It's a way we get into in New

York. Broadway isn't good for a man's manners.... Will you forgive me,

Miss Carew?"

Embarrassment kept her silent; she nodded her head, and finally turned

and looked at him. His smile was agreeable.

She smiled faintly, too, and rose.

"Until later, then," he said. "This is the Gayfield road, isn't it?"

"Yes."

She turned and walked toward the house; and as though he could not

help himself he walked beside her, his hat in his hand once more.

"I like this place," he said. "I wonder if there is a hotel in

Gayfield."

"The Gayfield House."

"Is it very bad?" he asked jocosely.

She seemed surprised. It was considered good, she thought.

With a slight, silent nod of dismissal she crossed the road and went

into the house, leaving him standing beside his wrecked machine once

more, looking after her out of sluggish eyes.

Presently, from the house, emerged Stull, his pasty face startling in

its pallor under the cloudless sky, and walked slowly over to

Brandes.